2004 Vigna Sant'Angelo Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Abruzzo

Along with Valentini, Masciarelli is the most famous name in Abruzzo wine. However, unlike the wines of Valentini, Masciarelli's are very big, bold and international in style, with heavy amounts of toasty oak often blurring the characteristics of the grapes used (especially the more delicate native varieties such as trebbiano d'Abruzzo). That said, their newest white wine, the Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Castello di Semivicoli, is one of the more interesting new releases to have come out of Italy in the last dozen years-not to mention better than the other over-oaked whites made here. (As this estate bottles many wines under different labels, I have included the latter in parentheses following the name of the wine.) Also recommended: 2006 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (Marina Cvetic) (85), 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Cerasuolo (87)